PNG Easter Conference Day 6: "Sea of Orange!"

Today was our day of taking the students on the beach to share their faith.  This was SCARY stuff, especially for all those newbees who just learned how to share the Knowing God Personally booklet.  We've been talking about walking with God and taking steps of faith...But this was sort of a giant leap for most of the students.

Me sharing a devo to my fellow orange peeps!

Everyone was wearing their orange T-shirts.  (They look pretty good filled with real live human bodies...although slightly reminiscent of orange road cones or "high vis vests!")

When everyone returned after lunch and shared their experiences...

that's my favourite part!  God brought 87 new people into the kingdom today!  Students couldn't wait for a turn at the microphone to tell their stories!

Some new things happened this year in addition to new baby Christians being born...things that our staff may need to be work through when we do this next year.  Two students were given money, one student was given a mango, and one man heard the gospel while stealing a student's camera out of his bag.

Another new thing was the behavior of the police.  While three of the uni students I was with were going over the booklet with some girls about 12 years old, three policemen came by.  One looked slightly intoxicated and carried a stick which he waved around.  Another policeman reached into one of the young girl's string bag, pulled out her half drunk Coke bottle, undid the lid, sniffed it and put it back.  All this took place without a word spoken.  They moved on to an old man at a nearby tree, reached into his bag and pulled out betelnut, and sniffed his Coke bottle.  The guy with the stick wacked it on the tree by the old man a couple of times.  Our taxi driver said this behavior by the police is new in the last two years.  Sigh.

I think the image that will stay with me is one of an older lady, sitting under a tree.  While going through the booklet, it seemed she was reminded that God loved her.  She knew the truth of the gospel, but I think she forgot how much she was loved.  She didn't speak hardly a word, but there was a light in her eyes when we left.